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Communities in West Virginia offer residents a welcoming atmosphere, affordable cost of living, and a strong sense of connection to nature and neighbors alike. From charming small towns to vibrant cities like Charleston and Morgantown, West Virginia communities provide friendly neighborhoods, excellent schools, and access to outdoor recreation right at your doorstep. Residents enjoy a slower pace of life, surrounded by the state’s beautiful mountains, rivers, and forests, as well as rich local culture, historic sites, and community events that bring people together.

 

With safe streets, local businesses, and a true spirit of Appalachian hospitality, living in West Virginia communities means enjoying a high quality of life and a supportive, tight-knit environment where everyone feels at home. Be sure to visit our Communities Travel Guide for information about communities in West Virginia.

Plans call for streetscaping Main and Market streets and adjacent thoroughfares in downtown Wheeling, West Virginia.
Communities

Justice confirms state support for Wheeling streetscape

by David Sibray

Officials have confirmed state support for a $25-million streetscaping project in downtown Wheeling, West Virginia, and the Wheeling National Heritage Area in the state’s northern panhandle. Governor Jim Justice today joined state officials and Wheeling Mayor Glenn F. Elliott, Jr., in expressing the state’s commitment to the Wheeling Streetscape Project. “This project is going to change … Read more

The W.Va. Development Office administers financial and technical-assistance funds for development and infrastructure.
Communities

Justice backs projects for Appalachian Regional Commission investment

by Bianca Bosworth

Governor Jim Justice and West Virginia Department of Commerce Secretary Ed Gaunch have recommended 12 projects totaling more than $11.7 million in grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission Investment Program. The West Virginia Development Office administers the state’s commission grants program, which is a partnership of federal, state, and local participants that provide financial and … Read more

Japanese barberry has been added to the West Virginia “noxious weeds” list as part of an effort to control the invasive plant.
Communities

Sale of Japanese Barberry outlawed July 1 in West Virginia

by Clyde Craig

The sale or distribution of Japanese barberry, Berberis thunbergii DC, will be illegal in West Virginia beginning July 1, 2020, according to the state Department of Agriculture. During the 2018 regular legislative session, Japanese barberry was added to the West Virginia “noxious weeds” list as part of an effort to control the invasive plant. An … Read more

Dr. Mark Anthony Manchin has been selected as the 25th president of Glenville State College in West Virginia.
Communities

Manchin named 25th president of Glenville State College

by Bianca Bosworth

Mark Anthony Manchin, Ph.D., has been selected as the 25th president of Glenville State College, according to officials at the school in central West Virginia. The college’s Board of Governors made the selection after an extensive search process that culminated last week in on-campus interviews with five finalists at Glenville, West Virginia. “I am excited … Read more

This historic freight station in Grafton is among city properties slated for rehabilitation.
Communities

WVU to embark on historic preservation initiative in Grafton

by David Sibray

Historic Grafton, West Virginia, once an important hub on the Baltimore & Ohio Railway, will enjoy a boost in economic viability, according to officials at West Virginia University. Several historic and industrial districts in the community of some 5,000 residents, will be redeveloped by the university’s Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center, according to director … Read more

A steak cut from West Virginia-raised cattle awaits the oven.
Communities

Agriculture commissioner works to combat local meat shortages

by Clyde Craig

West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt is calling for the passage of the “New Markets for State Inspected Meat and Poultry Act” to combat local meat shortages. Passage of such legislation would allow for meats processed in state-inspected facilities to cross state lines, said Leonhardt, who sent a letter recommending its passage to West … Read more

Lightning buys, also known as fireflies, dart around a backyard in a time-release photograph. (Photo: Mike Lewinski)
Communities

West Virginia launches project to monitor lightning bugs

by Will Reedy

In an effort to understand declining firefly populations, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has launched a citizen-science project to track lightning bug sightings in the Mountain State. West Virginia’s 40 species of fireflies have declined in number due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and other environmental causes such as light pollution, according to … Read more